Can you post the things that contributed to you going from say about 1500elo to where you are now?What books did you read, what tactic programs did you use, what computer programs did you use (and how you used them), etc.Please list things that you did from 1500 elo to where you are now. State your rating too.

I'm trying to get a correlation of types of training (and their weights) to making it to master level.

I am not rated but I teach chess and guide students in their chess training . The strongest students who coached entirely under me Alfredo Menezes and Mohinish Naik, crossed Fide ELO 1800. They worked mainly on convekta software ( now chessok) . For 1800 they worked on Chess Tactics for beginners, Advanced chess school, the first 500 problems of Manual of Chess combinations 2 ( Book), Complete chapter on pawn endgame and parts of other chapters of Dvoretsky Endgame Manual ( Book), Chess endgame training by Bernd Rosen ( Book), Chess enddgame training software by convekta (only part), Understanding Chess openings by Sam Collins, (Book). Personal chess trainer now chessimo ( The first two modules of tactics and endgames. Comprehensive Chess endings ( The software now unavailable the fist parts of the chapters on each endgame AVERBAKH) The books Simple chess and More Simple chess. I did not teach many openings but they learnt openings by analysing their games by themselves then with me and the engine ( At that time Rybka 2.3 was the strongest engine. Other students who trained party under me are now experts and one has got a grand master norm. After leaving me they worked Dvoretskys engame manual, Art of attack in chess, Few tactical books. Now if I ask them what they work on they say they go through grandmaster games and work with the engine. Their Ratings are Neeraj 2000, Ritviz Parab 2259, Rohan Ahuja 2414. My students were disproportionately strong in the end game and disproportionately week in the opening with below average tactic level.I am of the opinion that if I had completed Chess tactics for intermediate players with them they would reach 2100. I still teach students (4 t0 5 in all) but their rating hover around 1200 and they are aged betweeen 5 and 8 years. I will be able to give you more information after they graduate as once they cross mid school ( !3 years of age )

For me it was studying openings and preparing for my opponents. Tactics were what made me play at 1500 level (which was my first rating after 1-2 years studying chess seriously). When learning openings, you learn how to play certain positions and get an idea how you win in the long run.

However, I feel that having a good trainer ist the key for getting better. If you do everything on your own, it's more difficult. I know what I'm talking about :-)And yes, probably tactics are the easiest way to improve. And learn the basic endgames (King and pawn vs. king, king and rook and pawn vs. king and rook and so on). Read an opening book with explanations.

Ah, yes, not to forget. If you start late, it will be more difficult. I started to study chess seriously when I was 14 or 15. with 18 I played a 2100 performance against "strong" opponents (I beat a 2150 player). 10 years later my elo is 2200 and I invested sooo much time :-)

Stronger calculation. This helps eliminating "ghost lines" (threats that are imagined and not real) is crucial. Amateurs often take precautions in positions where no genuine threat is prevalent, only because the weaker player missed the correct response., and spoils the position, loses tempo (development).

It is also important for you to learn that chess is concrete. You can sometimes play counter to theory, such as inflicting doubled pawns for yourself. It all has to do with understanding dynamic compensation.

Also, evalute position individually. You can't play kingside attacks just for the sake of it. Learn to play defensively when required, excercise patience!